Equality and diversity is a term used in the United Kingdom to define and champion equality, diversity and human rights as defining values of society. It promotes equality of opportunity for all, giving every individual the chance to achieve their potential, free from prejudice and discrimination.
In reality, there are sects of society that have been left behind, with equality and diversity deficits affecting the majority of us at some point in our lives.
Although we are in a modern melting pot of technology, transparent communication and the most advanced civil rights to date – so much remains to be accomplished by design; the journey is truly just beginning.
Encompassing Diversity in business is an essential factor in creating an inclusive brand, key to its’ growth and success. Technology has enabled greater access to the global business arena therefore without embracing diversity in all areas of life whether geographic, gender, race, socio-economic, age and physical abilities to name a few would be detrimental in many ways.
Mara Group and Mara Foundation were founded on these principles, our strength and success lie in this inclusive thinking. The responsibility is upon us to instill these values in our children to live in this world not just tolerating differences but embracing and celebrating them.
Last quarter, at 6:00am on a crisp Autumn Saturday, we landed at the Maher Centre (Leicester) with around 1,000 delegates from around the country representing various ages, ethnicities and cultures; all eagerly awaiting the arrival of Baba Ram Dev (BRD) – a yoga expert from the Himalayas with a powerful, simple message based in six key principles which he encourages globally; we refer to them as VIRTUE:
1.) Value (& capitalise on) education,
2.) Improve and avail healthcare
3.) Respect (and educate, guide and mentor) youth
4.) Tackle corruption
5.) Use social media wisely (which quite nicely inspires this blog!)
6.) Empower females (economic empowerment)
Leicester is the largest city of the East Midlands, the tenth greatest in the country and was also dubbed 2012 city of ethnic minority. It’s a place we call home – despite having travelled and lived across the World (between us, over the years).
It’s a city in which differences of thought, perception and tradition are welcomed, shared and celebrated. The city, where every citizen is welcomed as a truly Global Citizen.
The BRD session left us feeling invigorated and appreciative of the diversity trajectory this city we call home is – and also mesmerised by the opportunity we have to extend our passion (and the invitation) for Global Citizenship to the rest of the country, and even across the World.
The human brain utilises just 4% of its capability…in the same way, a World with silo’s is restricted significantly.
Like Martin Luther King, we ‘have a dream’ of a World without these silos – and our biggest asset is this medium, technology through which we can not only imagine – but realise a World full of optimisation, equality and diversity in the truest sense.
A World where we can empower others through the world-wide-web; where education can be delivered through virtual lectures; and where diversity is normality.
Together, we can advocate for a higher level of global awareness amongst every sect of the planet; we can embrace and integrate spiritual, religious, economic and political views on a common platform. The Global Citizenship Platform.
We invite you to embrace the celebration that is diversity (as the National Diversity Awards lead so well in the UK), and to partake in the phenomenon that is Global Citizenship.
After all, it’s who we are!
– Steve White, The Rushey Mead Foundation – http://www.rusheymeadfoundation.com
– Rona Kotecha, Mara Group and Mara Foundation – https://mara.com / http://www.mara-foundation.org
– Bijna Dasani, National Diversity Awards Role, Positive Role Model for Age (s/l), 2012 – Twitter: @Biij / http://uk.linkedin.com/in/bijna